About the evils of caffeine by Emilie Tarascou and Stéphanie Marguerite.
(via b3ta)
That Other Unix
Unix is an operating system for computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. But Unix is not just that. There are various products bearing the Unix name that are completely unrelated to computer software, and their manufacturers seem to have invented the same name independently.
Here are some examples of products with the name Unix.
The Evolution Of The Supermodel Salary
The ELLE News Blog explores the evolution of the supermodel salary and gives us insight as to how people have ended up getting paid big bucks for being, essentially, walking clothes hangers.
(thanks Annie)
Giant Seabird's Fossilized Skull Found In Peru
A well-preserved 10-million-year fossil cranium of a large, toothed seabird was found in Peru's southern Ica region, a spokesman for Peru's Museum of Natural History said yesterday.
The skull of the giant bird with teeth, measuring 16 inches was found a few months ago by paleontologist Mario Urbina in a rock strata. The fossil is of the prehistoric seabird Pelagornithidae, which had wing spans of up to 20 feet and a large bill with tooth-like projections.
Chicken Robots
Japanese toy maker Sega is selling cyborg chicks that look and feel like the real thing. The palm-sized robots, named Yume Hiyoko, or 'dream chicks,' join a line of mechanical pets that includes dogs, cats and ponies.
The chick has touch sensors that trigger it to chirp or flap its wings when its back is stroked. The robot chicks were modeled after newly hatched birds and cost about $19.
World's Most Pierced Woman Adds To Her Collection
When first accredited by a Guinness World Record official in 2000, former nurse from Brazil Elaine Davidson had 462 piercings, with 192 in her face alone. Now, nine years later, she has 6,005 including more than 1,500 that are 'internal.'
Magnetic Self-Assembly In Slow Motion
Through magnetic self-assembly atoms and molecules order themselves in nature. Watch these slow-motion videos in which small magnets are laid out in a matrix. Then another magnet is dropped on top, which create attractive interactions.
(via Neatorama)
A Completely Unscientific (Yet Accurate) Look At Social Sites
Interested in joining a community based site but not sure which one is right for you? There are many different options out there that will cater to your specific interests and demographic.
There is a little something for everyone here in cyberspace, and these demographic breakdowns of each social site will help you to choose the right community for you.
Fuel Use Of Various Modes Of Transportation
What's the most efficient way to get around? Planes might burn a lot of fuel, but they also are filled with people, making each gallon go a lot farther. How does that stack up against trains, buses, cars, or the gasoline equivalent of eating a burger and hopping on your bike?
The answer may surprise you. A look at how many gallons of fuel per passenger it takes to cover a distance of 350 miles.
Very Strange Ad For M-A-C Hello Kitty Cosmetics
Strange ad for M-A-C Hello Kitty Cosmetics made by Canadian-naturalized photographer and director Floria Sigismondi.
(via Boing Boing)
Oldest English Words Identified
Some of the oldest words in English have been identified, scientists say. Reading University researchers claim 'I,' 'we,' 'two' and 'three' are among the most ancient, dating back tens of thousands of years.
Their computer model analyses the rate of change of words in English and the languages that share a common heritage. The team says it can predict which words are likely to become extinct - citing 'squeeze,' 'guts,' 'stick' and 'bad' as probable first casualties.
House Prices Compared: What USD $500,000 Buys Worldwide
The international housing market has practically stalled over the past year and in some countries prices have fallen through the floor. With a considerable drop in prices, now is the ideal time to buy that new home or holiday house.
Lets imagine you are upwardly mobile and have around US$500,000 to invest. It may not stretch as far as it used to, but you can still get some stunning properties in exotic locations.
Take a look at these gorgeous properties in across the globe and see just what you can get for your money.
(thanks Andy)
The Teenager Audio Test
There's this sound that can generally only be heard by people under the age of 25. It has been used as a deterrent device to keep teenagers from loitering in malls and shops, and sounds similar to a buzzing mosquito.
Try the Teenager Audio Test.
Since I'm older than 25, I failed the test.
E.ggTimer
You can use E.ggTimer like an egg timer or a count down timer. The time variable is plugged into the URL. You can use combinations of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds.
Australian Dust Storm
A dust storm between Wilcania and Broken Hill in Australia on 21 December 2007.
10 Geeky Tricks For Getting Out Of Bed In The Morning
When your alarm wakes you up, is it hard for you to get up right away? Do you find yourself hitting the snooze button and going right back to sleep?
Then you're just like me. Although there people who wake up bright-eyed, ready to start their day, most people need a little bit of help taking those first few steps.
Here are 10 tips how to get up early every day.
At Work
When the economy makes big news, many photographs of people at work come across the wires, usually to help illustrate a particular story or event.
People assembling, generating, and building items small and large, mundane and expensive, trivial and important. A look into some people's work lives around the world.
Posh Tots
After successfully designing furniture with a straightforward approach for years, Canadian designer Judson Beaumont set out to create something unique for friends who were expecting their first child.
He wanted his creation to capture the baby's imagination for years to come. Today, like his first kid-inspired piece, Judson designs some of the most offbeat, whimsical furnishings in the world.
(thanks Cora)
How To Make A Choco Taco
Choco Tacos can be hard to track down. The preeminent dessert taco makes cameos at select ice cream trucks and gas stations, but other times, you think, 'did I dream that?'
Since nobody should have to suppress a Choco Taco craving, or embark on a roadtrip to the magical Taco Bells that still stock them, follow these steps to make them at home.
(thanks Erin)
Fish With Transparent Head
Check out this fish called Macropinna microstoma.
It has tubular eyes and a see-through head.
10 Bizarre Disappearances
Jean Spangler was a bit-part actress in Hollywood. She left her young daughter in the care of her sister-in-law on October 7, 1949. She said she was going to meet her ex-husband to talk about an overdue child support payment and later, to work at a movie set.
Two days later, her purse was found near the entrance of Griffith Park. It contained an unfinished note addressed to a 'Kirk,' which read, 'Can't wait any longer, going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away.' No one knew who 'Kirk' or 'Dr. Scott' was, and no body was ever found.
10 Bizarre Disappearances, a list of mysterious or bizarre disappearances.
(via Interesting Pile)
Bank Of Obama
Bad mortgage, student loan, credit card debt, Vegas trip... you know someone who needs a personal bailout for it. The Bank of Obama believes everyone should get their share of the stimulus package.
Here's a novel way to bail out your friends. Just fill out the check. Send it free via email or through the mail for a small fee. It's that easy!
This Peanut Looks Like A Duck
Not just this peanut, but also flames, gourds, spilt milk, melting snow, stains, clouds, potatoes. Everything that looks like a duck.
12 Food Phrases Explained
Why is money sometimes called 'dough' or 'bread?'
What does 'cool as a cucumber' mean or 'Cut the mustard?'
12 Food Phrases Explained.
Then And Now: A Fast-Forward Tour Of Gadget History
Astonishing breakthrough. Household object. Funny anachronism. Such is the journey that nearly every great gadget travels. And then it happens all over again with whatever hot new gizmo rendered the old one obsolete.
A comparison of significant devices of the past with their modern-day counterparts.
The Before Took Us Right Up To The After
Animated poem read by Sally Van Doren. Part of Poetry Everywhere, produced by the Poetry Foundation in association with docUWM at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Animation by Matteo Garcia.
(via Nag on the Lake)
Top 11 Weirdest Burgers
It seems there is no shortage of crazy burger pics and impressive (if not a little gross) works of 'hamburger art' on the net.
This homage to the all-American love of beef patties is enough to bring a tear to your eye (and cholesterol to your arteries).
My Google Adsense Income
Hey, look what I earned through Google Adsense. Yesterday was great with over $128,000 but today was a new all-time record with more than $153,000.
Well, not really! The Presurfer is for my (and hopefully your) fun only. But I'm sure you have noticed a lot of sites where the owner claims to be earning several thousands dollar each day through Google AdSense. His proof? A simple screenshot.
Now you can create your own proof by entering your amount in dollars into the Google Adsense Generator and show your friends that you are a true AdSense-millionaire.
1932 Helicron
This one-of-a-kind French automobile, the 1932 Helicron, was discovered in 2000 in a barn where it had been placed by the original owners in the late 1930s. It is driven by a propeller bolted directly to a 4 cylinder air-cooled engine.
The Blue-Eyed Alligator
With his piercing blue eyes and pale skin this rare alligator stands out like a sore thumb. Weighing over 500 pounds, Bouya Blan is one of only 12 white alligators in the world.
The 22-year-old, whose name means white fog, lives along with three other giant leucistic alligators at the world famous Gatorland theme park in Florida.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1146300/The-white-bite-Meet-blue-eyed
Appropriately Named
Have you ever seen or come across a funny and/or interesting aptronym? An aptronym is a name aptly suited to its owner. Like a barber called Dan Druff, or Willie Thrower, former NFL quarterback.
Appropriately Named is about these aptronyms, mominative determinism, and namephreaks.
(via Neatorama)
Beautiful Buildings For The Dirty Minded
You may have a dirty mind but great minds think alike.
Yes, these buildings really do look like what you think they look like. Take a look, you know you want to.
(via Robert-John)
45 Vintage Space Age Illustrations
Until we all are living in outer space with flying automobiles and robot servants, we can pass the time with these 45 vintage illustrations of a space age tomorrow. Hopefully these beautiful and creative works of art won't bring back too many childhood disappointments.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Biography Of A Machine
The Biography of a Machine is about the 'Comptometer', an early development of the business calculator. Learn about the various models, their features and how to identify them.
About their inventor, Dorr Eugene Felt, and the company he created to make them. About the Comptometer schools he set up to train the operators and place them in jobs. About the competitors and their machines, the business battles and the deals. News, feature articles and interviews with collectors, curators, restorers and archivists.
Top 10 Most Embarrassing Oscar Speeches
I haven't seen the Acadamy Awards ceremony last night but I'm absolutely sure some actor or actress made a spectacle of themselves. You know, a lot of crying, overacting, and a thousand 'thank you's'.
Here are the most cringeworthy Oscar speeches from the past.
(thanks Sheridan)
The Crisis Of Credit Visualized
What is this 'credit crisis' everyone is talking about? Do you really understand what's going on? How bad is it? Does it affect me?
As part of his thesis work in the Media Design Program at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Jonathan Jarvis created a series of animated shorts that present a visualization of the Crisis of Credit to help explain our current economic situation.
And here's part 2.
(via Laughing Squid)
The World's Heaviest And Largest Airplane
The An-225 is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by the Antonov Design Bureau, and is the largest airplane ever built. The design was built to transport the Buran space orbiter.
The Antonov An-225 is commercially available for carrying ultra-heavy and oversize freight, up to 550,000 lb internally or 440,000 lb on the upper fuselage. Only two An-225s have been produced.
The Definitive Guide To Steampunk Gadgets
Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction. The term denotes works set in an era where steam power is still widely used but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.
Where a lover of gadgets becomes really fascinated by Steampunk is in the fantastic mods created by people with far too much time on their hands.
15 Classic Science Fiction Cars
Classic Science Fiction is as much about plot as it is setting and vehicle concepts. From Batman to Blade Runner, production geniuses have created some of the most memorable modes of transportation for characters to drive (or hover, or fly) around in, literally moving the story along.
Besides, who says future cars will have to stay grounded?
Have a look at these sci-fi vehicles.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: Into the (deep) Blue Sea of the Water World.
click on the picture for real size
YouTube Dubber
Add the soundtrack from any YouTube video to the video of any other.
Like this one where I mixed the video of 'When Cats Attack' with the soundtrack of the main theme from Jaws.
YouTube Dubber.
(via b3ta)
The Meat Ship
Arrrr me harteys. Thar be a meat ship ahead in the oven.... Floating high on the 17,000 calorie seas, made with Bacon, sausages, pastry, mince, it's all meat, and it's coming to rape and pillage your arteries! Har har!
Computers Inspired By Computers Inspired By Kittens Inspired By Kittens
Remember the video 'Kittens Inspired By Kittens' where a slightly overexcited girl talks about a book with pictures of kittens? Here's a parody on that subject.
100+ Language Learning Websites
An alphabetical list of websites where you can learn a language. Some sites provide content, others community, and a number have both. Some sites focus on learning one specific language, others cover a number of languages.
Control Freak: Awesome ATC Towers Of The World
Air Traffic Control Tower lovers of the world unite. Here is a selection of ten of the best and more unusual in the world.
Whether your own favorite is listed here, these structures have functionality and are designed to fit their own particular environment but also have a strange beauty all their own.
(via Robert-John)
Crazy Fads
Find out what was popular when your parents were kids, or take a nostalgic trip down memory lane from your own childhood.
Is This Atlantis?
You could have been waiting for this. Google Earth recently added Google Ocean, an extension that uses a combination of satellite images and marine surveys. Now, someone has discovered this 'grid' on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 620 miles off the west coast of Africa near the Canary Islands.
Dr Charles Orser, curator of historical archaeology at New York State University - and one of the world's leading authorities on Atlantis - called it 'fascinating.'
9 Classic Banking Movies
Bankruptcy, robbery, murder and bad ethics - sound familiar? Bankers and investors are probably among the most hated people around right now. So why not make yourself feel a bit better and watch those financial suits go bankrupt, get robbed or reveal their homicidal tendencies hollywood style.
In many of these films the people who are for the banks end up becoming figures of fun, so sit back, open your popcorn, and have a good laugh at some unlucky bankers losing loads of money.
(thanks Clare)
Endangered: The Most Dangerous Bird On Earth
Cassowaries are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Normally cassowaries are very shy but when disturbed can lash out dangerously with their powerful legs. They are capable of inflicting fatal injuries to an adult human.
Estimates vary but it is thought that only around 1500 of this mysterious and ancient creature still survive in the wild.
(via Robert-John)
French Squirrel Goes Nuts
'French Squirrel Goes Nuts' is the tale of a snobby French squirrel that savors the taste of deluxe nuts.
(thanks Scarlett)
9 Amazing And Unusual Printers
Almost everyone that owns a computer system has a printer. Mention the words laserjet, inkjet or even dot matrix and people will understand the reference. The most common usage of these devices is rather dull: to print documents and photographs.
But did you know that there are many other unusual applications of printing technology in the production of solar panels, concrete walls and even something as mundane as toasting bread? Here are 9 printers that make your office printer look lame, even if they do use the same technology.
(thanks Andy)
1 Cool Screen, 8 Different Uses
The Samsung UltraTouch Screen has 8 different uses.
(thanks Jaime and Vincenzo)
Oscar Speech Generator
One of Hollywood's best kept secrets is that all the major stars use Atom's Oscar Speech Generator if they've been nominated for an Academy Award. Try it yourself and see what kind of acceptance speech you come up with.
The Pac-Man Dossier
The Pac-Man Dossier is dedicated to providing Pac-Man players of all skill levels with the most complete and detailed study of the game possible. New discoveries found during research have allowed for the clearest view yet of the actual ghost behavior and pathfinding logic used by the game.
Therefore, the purpose of the Pac-Man Dossier is to give the player a better understanding of Pac-Man without the use of patterns by taking a closer look at gameplay, maze logic, ghost personalities, and the mysterious 'split screen' level.
Happy Birthday, Sidney Poitier
His Excellency Sir Sidney Poitier, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, was born 81 years ago today.
Sidney Poitier was Hollywood's first African-American to win the Best Actor Oscar. Poitier won his award in 1963 for his role in Lilies of the Field. He picked up another Academy Award in 2002, this time for lifetime achievement.
In 1974 he was made a Knight of the British Empire. Stepping into the world of diplomacy, Poitier is the Bahamas' ambassador to Japan and to UNESCO.
Guard Dog
Bill Plympton's Oscar-nominated short leads us into the twisted mind of an overprotective bulldog. Though released in 2004, this cartoon has never been online in full before, so this is a rare treat for online audiences and fans of great short films.
Guard Dog
(thanks Kate)
Tom Hanks To Switch On Repaired Large Hadron Collider
Actor Tom Hanks will turn on the Large Hadron Collider, designed to recreate the 'Big Bang', when it is finally repaired. The giant underground machine, the world's most powerful particle accelerator, suffered a catastrophic malfunction soon after being switched on amid a fanfare of publicity last September.
Tom Hanks was approached about the move while filming his latest film Angels and Demons in which he plays a Harvard University academic investigating a plot to annihilate the Vatican with 0.25 grams of antimatter stolen from Cern.
(via Neatorama)
Shape Collage
Shape Collage is great FREE automatic photo collage maker. You can create picture collages in less than a minute with just a few mouse clicks. Photos are automatically and intelligently placed using a machine learning algorithm.
Make collages in any imaginable shape or form, rectangle, heart, circle, letters, or even draw your own shape. Adjust the collage size, size of the photos, number of photos, and spacing between photos. Change the background, the colour of the border, and more. Save as JPEG, PNG, or Photoshop PSD.
Here's a collage I made.
JetLev Flyer
German entrepreneur Hermann Ramke has invented a James Bond-like jetpack powered by high-pressure water, called the JetLev-Flyer.
It is sold (lessons included) for about $128,000.
Democratic Chess
Democratic Chess is chess game where each figure is made of an IP-WLan-network camera each capable of looking arround, listening and talking to the other figures as well as the two real person players.
With this technology there are many different ways how to play the game, the next move can be decided in a democratic way among the figures or they are allowed to discuss the next move with the players and each other. But in the end the two player make the moves.
Bush 'Shoe Maker' Hit By Demand
Turkish shoe firm Baydan Shoes (www.baydanshoes.com/tr/) says it has had to take on 100 extra staff to cope with a surge in orders after an Iraqi threw shoes at former US President Bush.
The Istanbul-based company claims it made the shoes and says it now has tens of thousands of orders from around the world - including from the US and Iraq. The shoe was called Model 271 but shall be renamed Bye Bye Bush, the firm said.
(thanks Cora)
Sarah's Smash Shack
Haven't you ever just felt like breaking something? Well, now you can... any time you want. Just go to Sarah's Smash Shack in San Diego, USA, and smash some stuff up. It's an imaginative and innovative opportunity for people to express themselves, in a safe and exciting way.
Broken bits go on to become beautiful mosaic artwork, through local artisans, art therapy programs and student projects.
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
The Quest For G
This video for Gatorade, directed by Tarsem, features Kevin Garnett on a Monty Python style quest for 'G.'
(thanks Anna)
60+ Great How To Sites And Resources
Ever had one of those moments when you really wished you knew how to do something specific? If only there were someone you could ask… Thanks to the social web, particularly niche blogs and expert-driven communities, it's easy to find knowledge, insights and guidance direct from the pros, no matter what the topic area.
Here's a run-down of more than 60 great how-to sites and guides covering everything from building a mashup to being more productive, creating a website and more.
The Michael Jackson Auction
From April 22nd – 25th, 2009, an auction by Julien's Auctions at the Beverley Hills Hilton will provide an unprecedented look into the private world of Michael Jackson.
Observer Music Monthly has obtained this exclusive preview of some of the items going under the hammer.
The Russians Are Coming: New Wave Flash Animation Via Moscow
A new wave of Russian flash animation is evolving the form. When an offshoot becomes a genre is debatable, but the Russian school is stretching the boundaries - most certainly in subject matter if not the animation itself.
Serious minded animation for those who want to see Flash used for more than just e-cards and Christmas sing-alongs. Take a look at the latest Russian Revolution.
(via Robert-John)
146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health
Sugar addiction is a term for the situation where individuals crave sugar-laden sweet foods and find it extremely difficult if not impossible to control their intake.
The attraction to sugar had in the past been considered merely psychological dependence, but recent research has shown that withdrawal symptoms occur during periods of abstinence, a key element of physical dependence.
Alien Life May Exist Among Us
Never mind Mars, alien life may be thriving right here on Earth, according to Professor Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University. This 'shadow life' may be hidden in toxic arsenic lakes or in boiling deep sea hydrothermal vents, he says.
Weird life could even be living among us, in forms which we don't yet recognise, he told the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago. We don't have to go to other planets to find weird life. It could be right in front of our noses - or even in our noses.
10 Unbelievable Medical Mistakes
Medical mistakes are usually described as injury or death resulting from mistakes made by people. There are of course also unfortunate results of treatment. But commonly a medical error is an event that could be prevented given the current state of medical knowledge.
Here are 10 unbelievable medical mistakes.
(thanks Luke)
Time Lapse Of A Baby Playing With His Toys
Time laps of 9 month old Charles-Edward, playing with his toys and creating chaos in the dinning room. Four hours of play in just over two minutes.
Tater People
Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are content to let others do all the work. They are called 'Speck-Taters.'
Tater People.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Awesome Aerial Tramways Of The World
Take a look at some of the most awesome aerial tramways the world has to offer. From the tallest and the lowest to the longest and fastest, if you are afraid of heights, don't look down.
(via Robert-John)
35 Beautiful Examples Of Animals Photography
Animal photography is probably one of the most dangerous types of photography. The outcome totally depends on the skills of photographer and the time when the shot is taken.
A photographer who uses good exposure, color and blur settings along with appropriate shutter speed and focusing techniques can produce stunning photographs.
Interview With Tessa Dick, Widow Of Philip K. Dick
Self-Publishing Review had an interview with Tessa Dick, last wife of science fiction author Philip K. Dick, who has reworked the novel he was working on at the time of his death in 1982, The Owl in Daylight.
(thanks Henry)
Sketchory
Yesterday Philipp Lenssen of Google Blogoscoped, with some friends, launched Sketchory. Sketchory is a collection of 250,000 drawings which you can share using a Creative Commons license.
This license includes commercial sharing, so you could even, say, create a book out of sketches (with a maximum of 1000 images), or remix the drawings to create new stuff, and so on.
Frozen Nature Photography
Frozen Nature. Cold lines of water in various altered states, sculpted jack frost shapes on windowpanes, frozen landscapes with brilliant blue skies, dripping icicles decorating the edges of buildings, cold frosty tundra.
15 Remarkable Cemeteries And Tombs To Visit Before You Die
Above ground or six feet under, these 15 final resting places are prime spots for the dead... and the living.
(thanks Andi)
The First Worldwide Website Where Nothing Happens
Yes, it's the first worldwide website where nothing happens.If you detect something happening here, it's probably a bug and we'll try to fix it.
(via escene)
Chinese Cartoons
A collection of cartoons that were published in major Chinese magazines between 1980 and 2002.
Sebastian Vettel Explains 2009 F1 Rule Changes
A computer animated clip features Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel racing on track, as they bring to life the biggest rule changes in the history of Formula One.
12 Time-Lapse Videos Of Plants And Flowers
These 12 time-lapse videos of plants and flowers growing and blooming should adequately acquaint you with their natural majesty.
(via Neatorama)
KideoPlayer
KideoPlayer is a family safe video player. KideoPlayer curates the sea of online video content in a way that makes it easy, interesting, and fun for parents and kids to experience together.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: You Want a Little Cheese With That Whine?
click on the picture for real size
Eight Adult Only Online Animations
No, no that kind of adult stuff. The sites featured are ones that could be classified as adult because of their content and subject matter, but not because they feature... um... scary wobbly bits.
Eight Adult Only Online Animations.
(via Robert-John)
What Are You Wearing?
Every woman (and some men!) dread turning up at a social event wearing the same outfit as someone else. Whatruwearing.co.uk is a service that helps people who are going to a social event to co-ordinate their clothing with the other guests.
By using the whatruwearing service you will help to prevent those embarrassing and awkward moments, when two, or worse, three people arrive wearing the same outfit.
(via J-Walk Blog)
Hopside Down
Fred likes to glug his beer right from the bottle, but Mrs. Fred is appalled. So Fred went out and did something about it – he created this bottle-in-a-glass as an homage to real men like him.
(via Grow-A-Brain)
Farm Tools Quiz
Do you know what farm tool this is? Farm Tools Quiz shows unusual equipment and the object is to name the tool or how it was used. There is a link to the answers at the bottom of the page.
Word Hearts Generator
It's Valentine's Day and what a coincidence, here's the Word Heart Generator. It's a simple tool that automatically fills a heart shape with any words you like.
Enter some words separated by commas in the text box and press the 'Enter' key. You can also choose one of three fonts or change the colors.
(via Lists Galore!)
Kagaya
Kagaya Yutaka is a Japanese digital artist known for painting elaborately detailed and spectacularly colored images.
40 Years' Worth Of Thanks
In 1968, a white firefighter saved a black baby girl, touching the heart of a divided city. The two did not meet again. Until yesterday.
Medieval Suits Of Armor
Back in the good old days what you wore was a matter of life and death: simple rotting cloth was common, leather was rare, but for the gentleman of standing, it was armor or nothing.
New York Times Article Skimmer
The New York Times launched Article Skimmer. Think of it as an attempt to provide the Sunday Times experience anytime.
It's easier and more relaxing to scan a surface of information than flip through a stack, so information is laid out in a rigid two-dimensional grid. The sections do not flip into place; instead, they slide up and down.
Headhoods
Check out these hoodies. Now you can be whoever you want to be.
Designed by Clinton van Gemert from Brooklyn, New York.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Chuck Yeager Turns 86
Today Charles Elwood 'Chuck' Yeager turns 86. He is a former brigadier general in the United States Air Force and noted test pilot.
On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first pilot (at age 24) to travel faster than sound flying the experimental Bell XS-1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft over the test ranges at Muroc Field, now known as Edwards Air Force Base.
Miracle Generator
Every now and again a story makes it into the news about someone seeing Jesus or the Virgin Mary in their burrito/grilled cheese/potato chips.
Now you can make your very own miracle.
Fast Food Of The World
HealthAssist Blog starts a set of posts about the fast food around the world. It's not a scientific research and they don't pretend to list every food in every country.
Read it an learn about typical Dutch fast foods like patat, frikandel, kroket (all pictured above), bitterbal, and one of the distinguishing traits from the province I live in, Brabants worstenbrood.
(thanks Olga)
Blow Monkey Nail Dryer
The easy, fun way to dry those nails. Simply apply your nail polish, press the banana button, and relax as the Blow Monkey Nail Dryer does all the hard work.
First Step In Treating Common Cold Solved
Technically known as the human rhinovirus infection, the common cold is responsible for half of all asthma attacks and is a factor in bronchitis, sinusitis, middle-ear infections and pneumonia.
Now researchers from from the University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have solved the first step in treating the common cold by mapping its entire genome. By mapping the genome of the common cold and assembling the results into a 'family tree,' scientists can see how the virus strains are related, as well as their differences.
Around The World
Discover some of the most beautiful places in the world.
There are 6,214 photos from 64 countries.
(thanks Cora)
Devolve Me
The Open University released Devolve Me to honor Charles Darwin's birthday. Ready to journey back in time? Use this fun tool to see yourself as you would have looked as an early human.
Upload your photo to Devolve Me and see yourself travel back through the evolutionary timeline... it's not an exact science but it's a lot of fun.
(via Miss Cellania)
Human Washing Machine
At the 1970 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, consumer electronics maker Sanyo demonstrated their vision for the future by showcasing the Ultrasonic Bath, a pod-like human washing machine that cleans, massages and dries the user in a fully automated 15-minute process.
(via Neatorama, Pink Tentacle)
Party Like It's 1234567890
Unix time is a system for describing points in time, defined as the number of seconds elapsed since midnight (UTC) of January 1, 1970, not counting leap seconds. It is widely used not only on Unix-like operating systems but also in many other computing systems.
Tomorrow, Friday, February 13, at exactly 3:31:30 PM (PST), Unix time will equal '1234567890'.
Culinary Cinema Awards
Coinciding with this year's Academy Awards, website the CooksDen announces the winners of its All-Time Culinary Cinema Awards.
These awards honor great movies that include food as a central component in their theme, plot or cinematography. Awards are given in nine major categories.
(thanks Ken)
Skittles Vodka
Skittles are small round fruit chewy bite size candies that come in hard sugar shells. Website 'Mix That Drink' says that infusing vodka with Skittles is a very popular trend right now.
For this project, you'll need:
One 1.75 liter bottle of vodka, five 8.5 ounce flasks, one pound bag of Skittles, five empty plastic water bottles, a funnel, bowls for separating the Skittles into flavors, a measuring cup, and coffee filters or paper towels.
The Phantom Corsair
The Phantom Corsair is an automobile prototype from 1938. It is a six-passenger coupe that was designed by Rust Heinz, a member of the H. J. Heinz family, and Maurice Schwartz of the Pasadena, California based Bohman & Schwartz coachbuilding company. The design was a departure from contemporary car design and it did away with many features, common at the time, that were eventually abandoned by mainstream designers.
Heinz planned to put the Phantom Corsair, which cost approximately $24,000 to produce in 1938 into limited production at an estimated selling price of $12,500. However, Heinz's death, shortly after the car was completed, ended those plans. The completely unique 1938 Phantom Corsair now resides in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
(via Boing Boing)
Hat Horizons
Hat Horizons will make you think differently about what you put on your head. With their endless variations, hats and headdresses are a tribute to the diversity of the worlds cultures. Knowledge of headgear can instill an awareness and appreciation of our cultural differences.
(thanks Cora)
Top 10 Most Amazing Streets In The World
Travel has been in man's blood since the beginning of time. In order to facilitate travel, we built roads.
This list looks at some of the most unusual roads, like the shortest, narrowest, steepest, longest, widest, oldest, and worst roads in the world.
Control-A-Cat Remote Control
Cats are not known for their ability to learn and obey the commands of their owners. That's where the Control-a-Cat Remote Control can come in handy. Simply point at your cat, press buttons on the remote and hope for the best.
With buttons for 'Stop Scratching,' 'Show Affection,' 'Remain Aloof' and others, you'll be in control in no time. It's finally your turn to make your cat do what you want.
Flowers2Mail
Send a virtual bunch of flowers. Pick a vase.
Drag the flowers to the vase.
Write a message and mail them to a friend.
Beat The BS
Beat the BS highlights historical gender stereotypes that have prevented equality for women in sports over the years. Beat the inequality, the steriotypes, unfair pay, myths, mistreatment, absurdity, and stupidity.
(thanks Mona)
The Bacon Knit
Knitting bacon is, in case you haven't guessed, hard. The fact that the bacon is exceedingly greasy makes it somewhat easy: they slide on to the chopsticks really well. The problem is that it's hard to make out where the bacon strips end and where to stick your 'needle' in.
The Inspiratomatic
The Inspiratomatic, the latest in workflow productivity, teambuildery and successitude.
Florida Man Dials 911 Over Lemonade-Less Meal
You cannot dial 911 'cause you're unhappy with your burger.
That's what a police operator told a Florida man early Saturday morning when he called 911 to complain about his order at a Burger King in Boynton Beach.
Jean Fortune, 66, called 911 when a Burger King employee told him that they did not have lemonade. Fortune told cops that he had placed an order for a #7 combo meal (chicken fries, French fries, and a soda for $4.49) while in the drive-thru line. He was offered Coke, but Fortune decided instead to call police.
12 Fantastic Photos Of Factories In Japan
There is something fascinating about factories at night: the surreal colors, the dazzling lights, smoke billowing through the night air, the almost audible sound of a busy industrial complex.
These photos conjure up images of some strange, enormous, metallic creatures of the night on an alien landscape.
Washington Banana Museum
Are you tired of the same old run-of-the-mill museums? Get ready for a tribute to that most perfect fruit - the banana. The Washington Banana Museum curator is Ann Mitchell Lovell. Ann has assembled close to 4,000 items, a melange of artifacts, folk art and other cultural oddities devoted to the world's perfect fruit.
Assembled by a longtime scholar of banana consciousness, it features a compendium of whimsical and serious representations of the #1 selling fruit in the United States.
Socknitters Museum Of Odd Socks
The Socknitters Museum of Odd Socks has a collection of... well, you guessed it, odd socks. Like this one for example called My Dog:
The museum's commentary: This lovely example of the classic spiral tube sock, done in purple, comes to us from Kathie Fredette. Ms. Fredette offers no explanation for the title of her work, so we are left with only speculation as to what was in her mind as she gazed at the finished product.
Mini Lawn In Your Loo
They say walking on fresh grass increases your blood circulation. It's a reason to get going to the nearest park, remove your expensive Jimmy Choo's and prance around.
The Moss Carpet looks at getting the grass to your feet, and that in your loo! Made from imputrescible foam called plastazote, the mat includes ball moss, island moss and forest moss. The humidity of the bathroom ensures that the mosses thrive. Little gnomes not included.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Ninjafy
Last Wednesday I told you how to put rainbows and unicorns on your site.
This time it's ninjas.
Zeit-site! 10 Sites To Turn To Before You Turn Off
Do you like the unusual side of the internet but are a little bored of the usual interfaces? Take a look at these sites and make a bet. Will you be able to log off before you visit them all?
(via Robert-John)
1709: The Year That Europe Froze
People across Europe awoke on 6 January 1709 to find the temperature had plummeted. A three-week freeze was followed by a brief thaw - and then the mercury plunged again and stayed there. From Scandinavia in the north to Italy in the south, and from Czechoslovakia in the east to the west coast of France, everything turned to ice.
The sea froze. Lakes and rivers froze, and the soil froze to a depth of a metre or more. Livestock died from cold in their barns, chicken's combs froze and fell off, trees exploded and travellers froze to death on the roads.
It was the coldest winter in 500 years.
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
Rare Bugatti Found In British Garage
A car abandoned in a garage in Britain for half a century sold at an auction in Paris for $4.4 million last Friday. The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S went under the hammer at Bonhams' Retromobile car show and sale in Paris.
It was sold on behalf of the family of its last owner, Dr Harold Carr, an orthopedic surgeon from Tyneside, England.
(thanks Cora)
Typealyzer
Type in your site's URL and Typealyzer will tell you which personality type the text represents. According to Typealyzer I am the independent and problem-solving type known as The Mechanic.They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment and are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.
The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like to seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.
Every Day
Every Day is an ongoing visual document. Since February 23rd, 1987, I have each day made a photograph of my face.
The camera is always set and focused at the same distance. When taking the picture, I try to center myself in the frame, maintain a neutral expression and look straight into the lens.
(via Grow-A-Brain)
Radiology Art
Radiology Art is a project dedicated to the deeper visualization of various objects that hold unique cultural importance in modern society. So far, these objects have included toys, convenience-related foods, and personal electronics.
Chinese Spacewalk Faked?
Was the Chinese spacewalk faked? I say no! But it's conspiracy time again. In September last year, the Chinese space program celebrated its first spacewalk. Colonel Zhai Zhigang, the mission commander, floated out of the orbital module's hatch, beamed live on China's state television service.
However, some Chinese bloggers have pointed out physics-defying phenomena in the news footage of its space walk that suggest the whole operation was filmed not in space, but under water.
The Pancake Appreciation Society
The pancake has a very long history and has featured in cookbooks as far back as 1439. The tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: The Trouble with Mustaches.
click on the picture for real size
What News Anchors Do During Commercial Breaks
Chicago's WGN-TV News anchors Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange doing a funny dance routine during a commercial break.
100 Meters Of Existence
Simon Høgsberg works as a freelance photographer in Copenhagen, Denmark. One of his projects was 'We're All Gonna Die - 100 meters of existence.
It's a 100 meters long image with 178 people in it. All people were shot from the same spot on Warschauer Strasse in Berlin in the summer 2007.
Computer Tan
Computer Tan is a revolutionary new online tanning service. It's safe, it's secure, it's quick, and it's easy. Try the free online session.
Computer Tan is a parody site and a warning against skin cancer. Computer Tan is made by the Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity.
Coulrophobia: Are You Afraid Of Clowns?
Did you find Heath Ledger as The Joker scary? Then perhaps you suffer from coulrophobia, the abnormal fear of clowns.
Join a self-confessed coulrophobic for a look at these guys and see if you are too. Like you don't already know.
(via Robert-John)
Greatest Car Garage Ever On Video
Yesterday I posted about possibly the greatest car garage ever.
Here's the video.
(thanks Cora)
Seven Of The Biggest Beasts Of All Time
We all know about the size of dinosaurs, but how about a rodent the size of a bull, a sea scorpion bigger than a man, a frog as large as a beach ball, a penguin the size of a small adult human, a 1,000-pound ground-sloth-like marsupial, and a shark that may have grown longer than 50 feet and weighed up to 30 times more than the largest modern great white?
Seven Of The Biggest Beasts Of All Time.
South Korean Grandmother Failed Driving Test 771 Times
A South Korean grandmother has failed her written driving test 771 times. Police in the city of Jeonju said the 68-year-old woman, identified only by her family name Cha, has taken, and failed, the written test repeatedly since April 2005.
She failed the exam once again last Monday but has said that she will continue trying.
La Princesse In Liverpool
As part of Liverpool's Capital of Culture year, the French group La Machine were commissioned to create a large piece of street theatre. Many were expecting to see something using the iconic Liverbirds, the symbol of the city, but instead they got a spider.
The event drew in over 200,000 people in the few days it was on and produced something wondrous that got everyone in the region talking.
related: Attack Of The Steampunk Spider Princess.
Greatest Car Garage Ever
This innovative design aims to tackle the growing loss of front gardens to car park space in urban areas. It's an example of a minimalist contemporary garden that is easily sited in a west London residence.
It shows how a beautiful garden and parking space can be combined to help maintain the aesthetic appearance of a street.
(via Dump Trumpet)
8 Pioneering Moments In Digital Photography
The year is 1961. Eugene F. Lally is sitting in the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Bored of designing rockets and other things that help rockets go faster, Lally has an idea.
A few diagrams and a good number of hours thinking and writing later, Lally had produced a paper, entitled 'Mosaic Guidance for Interplanetary Travel,' the blueprint for the very first digital camera.
(thanks Andy)
Facial Yoga
Facial yoga refers to facial exercises for stretching the muscles. Regular practice can contribute to relaxation and to reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It is an ancient practice originating in India and has recently started to become popular in the US as an alternative to surgical reduction of wrinkles.
Photographer Gene Moz offers a gallery of some of the more intriguing poses.
Bird Fishes Like A Human
This video has stunned scientists around the world as this bird (a green heron) fishes like a human does. Give a bird a piece of bread and it won't be hungry for a day but teach it to fish... well you get it.
(via TYWKIWDBI)
Real Website Value Estimator
Stimator is a real-time website value estimator. The engine deliveries the most accurate economical value that a website could worth by collecting important data from different sources.
The results are indexed to database references and to the financial market in order to re-produce, as real as possible, how much investors are prepared to invest.
According to Stimator, at this moment The Presurfer is worth $ 206,708.
The 15 Coolest Cases Of Biomimicry
Biomimicry is a science that studies nature, its models, systems, processes and elements and then imitates or takes creative inspiration from them to solve human problems sustainably.
Examples are Velcro, Gecko tape, self-healing plastics, and morphing aircraft wings.
Here are the 15 Coolest Cases of Biomimicry.
100 Blogs That Will Save You Time And Make You More Productive
Today's busy lifestyles require that everyone put in extra hours when it comes to careers, family, and even free time. Learn how to better manage your time to get more done in less time. These 100 blogs will help you find ways to become more productive whether it's at home or work - and no matter what profession you have.
Entrepreneurs, professors, students, creatives, technology buffs, and even those just looking for inspiration for productive lives will all find blogs with plenty of information and suggestions to get things done more efficiently.
Polar Bear Moms And Cubs
When they're not playing, polar bear cubs learn under the watchful eye of their mother.
(thanks Cora)
Top 10 Moments Caught On Google Maps Street View
We've all seen the embarrassing Google Maps Street View images flying around the Web and, well, there are just too many to deny. In this Web 2.0 world, the cameras are always rolling and the net is always ready to advertise our absurdity.
So in the spirit of open information, here are the Top 10 moments caught on Google Maps Street View.
(thanks Alex)
Fossils Of Giant Snake Discovered
Rocks beneath a coal mine in Colombia have yielded fossils of what could be the world's largest snake, a relative of today's boa constrictor. The giant snake ate crocodiles and was longer than a London bus.
It weighed 1.25 tonnes and with a length of 45 feet or more it would have been able to take on and eat pretty much any other animal it came across.
Tony The Dance Machine
Tony the Dance Machine says:You'll enjoy an amazing dance show with unbelievable impressions. When I dance, I forget everything around me. I only feel the music and my body starts moving by itself.
I become a part of the song. I merge with the music. Then I draw the client in and make them come alive. I promise you an experience that you'll never forget. Trust me, I love what I do.
(thanks Ryan)
Evolution Of The Household
Did you know that in the 1950s the average household watched 4 hours and 31 minutes of TV or that in the 1960s the median household income was over $32000?
WomansDay.com was curious about how home life has changed over the decades and made a visual piece with all of the interesting tidbits.
(thanks Annie)
Design Company Naming Machine
The machine was inspired by the ludicrous number of design studios using coloured animals as company names.
The Fantabulous Breadline Design Naming Machine.
The 100 Most Beautiful Words In English
Ever heard of these words?
blandiloquent = beautiful and flattering
umbrageous = shady
mellifluous = sweet-sounding
inspissate = to thicken
pelagic = related to the sea or ocean
The alphaDictionary says they are some of the 100 most beautiful words in English.
Playing For Change: Peace Through Music
The Playing For Change community is a group of artists and inspired people who have come together to connect the world through music.
(thanks Cora)
Idiotarod 2009: Shopping Cart Chaos
There is no point being grown up if you can't be childish every now and again. Taking this maxim to heart, the contestants of this year's Idiotarod in New York City show you how it's done.
(via Robert-John)
Unicorns And Rainbows On Demand
This is it!
This is what we've all been waiting for. The Internet is now complete.
Cornify is the #1 unicorn and rainbow service, giving websites sparkle around the world.
Explore The Ocean With Google Earth
Earlier this week Google released Google Earth 5.0 with a new ocean-centric upgrade. With Ocean in Google Earth you can dive beneath the surface and visit the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench.
Explore the ocean with top marine experts including National Geographic and BBC. Learn about ocean observations, climate change, and endangered species. Discover new places including surf, dive, and travel hot spots and shipwrecks.
Cyborg Animals
Biological weapons delivered by cyborg insects sounds like a nightmare scenario straight out of the wilder realms of science fiction, but it could be reality, if a current Pentagon project comes to fruition.
Right now, researchers are alreading growing insects with electronics inside them. They're creating cyborg moths and flying beetles that can be remotely controlled.
(thanks Dean)
How To Make A Cake In A Mug
When your sweet cravings kick in but you don't have time to bake something tasty and warm, here's an excellent recipe to make a simple, quick and easy chocolate cake.
The #1 Song In The USA On This Date In History
What was the #1 song on the day you were born, or the day you graduated from high school, or the day you were married, the day your child was born?
The information comes from Billboard Magazine, the most authoritative source for determining the most popular songs in the USA for the years 1958 to the present.
The #1 song on the day I was born was 'You're Breaking My Heart' by Vic Damone.
Odd and Extraordinary Beauty Pageants
You know about the Miss America and Miss Universe beauty pageants. You are probably also aware of child beauty pageants, bodybuilding contests, transexual pageants, and pageants for married women.
But there are plenty of other beauty pageants that stray far from what you are used to.
Let Sleeping Dogs - And Others - Lie
Is consciousness just the annoying time between naps for you? Or are you wide-eyed and bushy-tailed for 23 hours a day? Join some new friends for a look at the world of sleep.
(via Robert-John)
Australian House Prices: What $500,000 Buys
Based on the average house in Australia's economic powerhouse, Sydney, $520,000 will buy you an average Australian house. That's approximately equivalent to US$335,000 or Euro260,000.
So, what will half-a-million Aussie dollars buy across the nation? How average is average? A slick townhouse, a large family home in the 'burbs' or a fancy apartment in the CBD?
Have a look at this snapshot of some of the best houses, apartments or townhouses up for sale and auction across Australia — you might be very surprised to see what $500,000 buys.
(thanks Andy)
Inventor Of Playmobil Toys Dies At 79
Hans Beck, the inventor of Playmobil dolls and matching model cars collected by millions of children worldwide, has died at the age of 79.
When toy company Geobra Brandstaetter asked him to design a collectible toy, it expected him to propose a range of scale-model cars. But instead he devised Playmobil, in which all the vehicles and buildings are scaled to accommodate the dolls. It was launched in 1974. Beck, who lived in Germany near Lake Constance, died on Friday last week after a serious illness.